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Author
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Topic: hoof angles
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morgan21
Member
Member # 1742
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posted May 12, 2004 10:02 AM
I am wondering what people think is a good hoof angle for a yearling. My farriar (a new one) was out today and said my horses feet looked a little steep. He didn't want to mess with them too much since she is use to how they are but I am wondering what angle you you perfer. I looked at it and her feed are a little steep, but she is sound and has been so I don't know. I was going to get a pic but my camera gave out.
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Here is my horsey...
http://community.webshots.com/user/morgan21110
Posts: 226 | From: michigan | Registered: Feb 2004
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Blistering Winds
Member
Member # 843
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posted May 12, 2004 10:43 AM
Yeah, get us a picture.
Basically, you look at the pastern angle. And draw a diagonal line with the pastern, down to the ground. The hoof should stay parallel to that angle.
There is no SET angle. Each horse's angles are different. If a horse has been trimmed wrong once before, then you can change it, but do it slowly, basically leave some toe each trim, till the hoof looks right. Don't just adjust it all at once, or you can mess up the tendons.
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Horses should not be treated as people. They should be respected for who they are and what they are capable of doing!
Born Free Now Expensive
Posts: 4337 | From: Texas | Registered: Oct 2003
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Idrivetrotters
Member
Member # 1490
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posted May 12, 2004 12:31 PM
Exactely what BW said. You should have a straight line from the pastern to the hoof. You don't say what kind of horse you have, so I can help you with an avg with my harness horses and I thnk it is a good rule of thumb for avgs.
An avg harness horses front angles are between 48-52 degrees and 52-56 degrees behind. The avg toe length is 31/2-4 inches obviouesly the larger the horse the longer the foot. A rule of thumb is that the higher the angle of the foot the quicker the foot will break over and higher the foot will travel in its stride. A horse must exert more leverage to lift a low angled foot off the ground than he would to lift a higher angle foot. I keep a record of my horses blacksmith cards to go by angles, inches and what changes I've made. As little as 1/8th of an inch makes a critical difference in how a horse breaks over.
If you do change the angles of your horses foot, do it very gradually to allow time for his leg to adjust to the changes. I know some people don't like the level and caliper, but I live by them and a competant blacksmith should be able to use these tools. If a blacksmith is so incompetant that they cannot use these tools than that person is sent packing and a new blacksmith comes in. I am very picky about my horses feet and I will not tolerate an incompetant job.
Posts: 479 | From: Florida | Registered: Jan 2004
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PawNHoofPrints
Member
Member # 518
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posted May 13, 2004 06:48 PM
What type of training does the farrier have? There are a number of 2 week farrier training programs and I'm sure they do not learn all they need, much less get adequate practice, in 2 weeks. I would look for someone who is at least a journeyman.
If you are really concerned about the angles, the best bet is to have your vet take 2 views of each foot. A lateral to look at angles/alignment and a dorsal-palmar view to look at lateral to medial levelness. A knowledgeable farrier should be able to use these views to make appropriate adjustments to benefit the horse maximally.
Posts: 434 | From: Missouri | Registered: Aug 2003
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morgan21
Member
Member # 1742
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posted May 14, 2004 05:56 AM
Okay I came up with a few pics that I have taken in the past two months or so. I'll have to get some more today, and then i'll post them. These pics aren't that great, but you can seel a little. Oh and the farriar I Have is like in his late 50's and been doing horses his whole life, he knows what he is doing and he does a good job, he just thought her angles where a little steep, but he didn't want to mess with them really cus he didn't want her to go lame or anything and right now she has been staying sound so He said it might just me how they need to be, but he told me thinkg about lowering the angle and he would do a little at a time. oh yeah and I have a morgan filly who is 20 months old.Feet
[ May 14, 2004, 05:57 AM: Message edited by: morgan21 ]
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Here is my horsey...
http://community.webshots.com/user/morgan21110
Posts: 226 | From: michigan | Registered: Feb 2004
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Blistering Winds
Member
Member # 843
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posted May 14, 2004 07:26 AM
The first thing I notice is that the feet are DEFINTILY too steep for this horse.
The horse looks club-footed on 3 of the 4 feet.
Either that is farrier's stupidity or your horse really IS club footed.
Let the toes grow out. Go 8 - 10 weeks between trimming to get those toes out. And have the farrier CORRECT the bad angles IF the horse isn't club footed. Might have x-rays on that horse.
Though 3 out of 4 looking like that usually isn't natural club-footed. That is usually bad farrier job.
BUT, if she IS club-footed, LEAVE THE ANGLES. THose that attempt to make club feet look like regular feet ruin the horse. The angles inside the hoof (coffin bone) are different, which causes the club foot.
Definitly get those corrected if they are normal feet. If not, then learn about club feet and take care of them properly as not to ruin your horse.
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Horses should not be treated as people. They should be respected for who they are and what they are capable of doing!
Born Free Now Expensive
Posts: 4337 | From: Texas | Registered: Oct 2003
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morgan21
Member
Member # 1742
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posted May 14, 2004 08:16 AM
My old tb had a club foot and hers don't really look like his did. I don't think she is club footed, but I am going to have a few people at my barn take a look and tell me what they think. I will then talk to the new farriar about letting her grow out a bit and then changing the angles slightly and see what happens.
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Here is my horsey...
http://community.webshots.com/user/morgan21110
Posts: 226 | From: michigan | Registered: Feb 2004
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MissBandit
Member
Member # 1377
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posted May 14, 2004 09:11 AM
You know BW, I don't see the same thing as you do. They do look steep yes, but this horse has *very* straight pasterns. The left foreleg looks the worst to me as the angles on those two feet do not match at all. Is that the foot you suspect of club?
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You know you are a horse person when...
...You pull change from your pocket , and hay falls out.
...you yell at the kids, and the horse's name pops out.
...you actually get to a point where flies don't bother you so much.
Posts: 2292 | From: BC, Canada | Registered: Jan 2004
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morgan21
Member
Member # 1742
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posted May 14, 2004 09:53 AM
MissB. Yes I think maybe it is that she has really straight pasterns, But i am no expert that is why I am asking. Thanks for your opnion, I am getting some more advise tonight, and I will get a few more better pics.
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Here is my horsey...
http://community.webshots.com/user/morgan21110
Posts: 226 | From: michigan | Registered: Feb 2004
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proBarrel racer
Member
Member # 2140
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posted May 14, 2004 10:54 AM
Yeah, I think that the hooves are a little too steep. They do not match the pastern angle. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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LAD
Posts: 105 | From: South Louisiana | Registered: Apr 2004
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Blistering Winds
Member
Member # 843
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posted May 14, 2004 04:18 PM
Yes, the left front foot looks odd, even at the angle that it was cut. The top, right pic is the one I'm going off of that all look too steep compared to the pasterns.
I've only seen one horse with more than one club foot. So it is probably a BAD farrier job, but that front left is worse than all of them. Could be just a bad farrier job, could be clubbed with a bad farrier job on all the rest.
Definitly get a good farrier to correct those angles. Will take time since you have to let the hoof wall grow up and out. Easier to take a too shallow angle down than to fix a steep angle. Course it is safer cause a farrier can't rush it either.
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Horses should not be treated as people. They should be respected for who they are and what they are capable of doing!
Born Free Now Expensive
Posts: 4337 | From: Texas | Registered: Oct 2003
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morgan21
Member
Member # 1742
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posted May 14, 2004 05:54 PM
Well I will have to ask around about maybe getting a new farriar, the one i just got just did her once and that was on wednesday. There arn't too many around here really, and most aren't willing to travel if you have only one horse at a place, so i kinda get stuck using whoever everyone else does.
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Here is my horsey...
http://community.webshots.com/user/morgan21110
Posts: 226 | From: michigan | Registered: Feb 2004
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